Redemption
by shakespeare-lozza
Summary: the most beautiful love of all, redeems you in the face of darkness. snape is plagued by lily's death, burdened by a heart infected with shadows of his past. can he be forgiven through a student's innocent love?


_I would have done anything for her._

_I'd known that from our very first encounter, that very moment frozen in time._

_I can still recall her delicate fingers, poised with infinite care over that tiny bud, the flower blooming to life with her touch._

_It had been such a small gesture_

…_but one that had captured my attention with a fervour that even the greatest magic had failed to stir in me. _

_Her sister's eyes lit up with rapture, only to turn sour with undisguised jealousy. _

_From that one, wistful little smile –meaning nothing to her, but the world to me- I could feel that redeeming light of goodness flood the darkest recesses of my heart, my soul awash with a newly found hope I had scarcely allowed myself to believe. I remember watching in silence, with absolute reverence, at the burnished fire of her hair as it would catch the wind, as if taming its cruel, elemental nature._

_It was a beautiful afternoon when it all went wrong. Those countless years later, when the sun flecked her complexion, casting shadows over her eyes._

_Mudblood, I had called her._

_A filthy, little mudblood._

_I wonder if she hated me, as much as I hated myself._

_Humiliation had loosed my tongue, the words spewing from my mouth before I could think._

_But it was that horrid burst of pain. That horrific look in her eyes._

_My heart… oh god.. my heart… _

…_she was my heart._

_I never saw the storm of tears that blurred her vision, bathing her fathomless, green eyes in cold discontent. I didn't need to see. I would always know intrinsically. _

…_Our hearts were connected, an invisible string between us pulled taut, a bond that had grown stronger with every passing day._

_Until now._

_It nearly killed me when she severed our bond. I would have died…_

_But, it was worth all the suffering to be near her..._

_And on that horrible day when my other half died… _

_I thought I had too..._

_But the most beautiful love of all, redeems you in the face of the overwhelming darkness._

_It finds you again,_

_When all seems lost._

_--_

Hermione's brows knitted with frustration. It wasn't working. It simply was. not. working. All this bloody effort only to have the sodding potion glow fluorescent pink. Not that pink was bad in any way. It was a nice enough colour when the occasion called for it. albeit, not very often - except perhaps for Gay and Lesbian Witches and Wizards United (GLWWU)

However when the potion was SUPPOSED to be deep blue, that was when you knew you'd stuffed something. Quite badly really. One of the many examples where fluro pink was not the colour of choice.

She quickly raced about her bay taking inventory, two boomslang skins, a drop of mercury… wait. Why was the mercury bottle almost empty? Hermione jumped with shock as a heavy splash sounded behind her. Prepared for the worst, she turned only to find Ron chucking handfuls of unidentifiable ingredients into their pot.

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

The screech burst from her chest like cannon fire, ricocheting off the cold dungeon walls. Ron looked up, his features skewed with fear. Hermione would have felt sorry for the poor guy, especially after being on the receiving end of many a horrific howler in his day. However any sympathy she might have felt went straight out the window as a gnarly root fell unheeded from his lax grip only to plop ominously into the cauldron. The brew fizzed and spat, as little flecks of confetti-like bits spotted their way onto Hermione's robe.

Harry winced, his hands moving unobtrusively to block his ears.

"In the name of sweet Merlin," Hermione's breath came in short gasps, "what the HELL do you think you're doing?"

Ron's face flushed umber as the entire class turned indiscreetly to stare in their direction. Ron's head swivelled about at the curious faces before finally resting on Hermione's.

"… uh.." An audible swallow seemed to catch his throat, ".. well… I'm… helping?"

A chorus of Gryffindor coughing sounded over the cackles of Slytherin laughter. And right on cue, one particularly snide voice became perceptible over the throng, "Helping seems to be pushing it a bit Weasel." Draco's thin lips cocked in the semblance of a smile, "but I suppose, what can be expected from someone who lives in a hovel?"

"Oh shut your mouth, Malfoy." Hermione swept her dark curls over her shoulder and glared in his direction, "from what I've heard, your expertise with potions is even WORSE than your expertise in the bedroom. Which I gather isn't that great anyway."

Draco's smile only seemed to stretch across his face, almost predatory, like a Cheshire cat toying with his prey, "and this is coming for the girl that willingly dates a member of the rodent family?" His pointed gaze could have drilled a hole in Ron's head.

Hermione sighed, _if only!_

Ron tripped on his robes only to accidently dip his hand in their mess of a potion.

Hermione had the decency to flush, "and this is coming from you snake-boy?" Unfortunately she realised too late that she had successfully insulted half the class, "I … mean … I…"

"I believe I have heard QUITE enough."

No one had to turn to realise who had just re-entered the classroom, as the smooth drawl drew quivers from even the most sturdy of Gryffindors and gave insurmountable pleasure to those of Slytherin.

"Mmm, I leave for 5 minutes and the place becomes madder than divination…"

Steady footsteps sounded behind her, as Hermione pretended to study her potions textbook. It became a little obvious when she read the same line exactly 28 times.

"Ms. Granger, did I just hear you slandering Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione nervously glanced behind her, only to see Professor Snape standing a very uncomfortable distance from her person. "I will be frank, I find myself wholly unsurprised by this behaviour. What do I expect from a confederate of Potter?"

Harry looked righteous as he began to step forward.

"DON'T." Snape bellowed, not even bothering to turn and face Harry.

Harry slunk back with as much dignity as his rejected form could muster.

"Madam, you are not only guilty of foul behaviour in my class, but also wasting my precious resources and my time by creating such an atrocity of a potion. Trust me, my dear… my predecessors are safely rolling in their graves."

"Bu-"

"No buts! Detention and 50 points off Gryffindor!"

Malfoy burst out laughing, loud guffaws shaking his weedy frame.

"Mr Malfoy, I assume you don't wish for similar treatment?"

Malfoy's lips looked like they could have been invisibly stitched shut.

"Now Ms. Granger, seeing as your facial expression appears entirely too self righteous for my liking, I believe we shall start your detention tonight. I will expect you in my office after dinner." His hand shot out to fix his robes, and for a second the look of angry annoyance fell from Hermione's face, as her eyes glued to the raw, bleeding flesh that met her gaze, but was gone in an instant as Snape's hand returned to the folds of his sleeves. She looked up, and was embarrassed to see him glaring at her…

It was a moment of absolute tension, lasting for an eternity, but finally broken when he swept out of range, turning his attention to Pansy and her fluttering damsel in distress action. Hermione sighed, in a second he'd probably be cutting the stupid roots for her.

She circled back to her position, only to see a malicious Malfoy grinning and gloating unbearably. His lips formed a small moue, and he blew kisses in her direction.

Bastard.

Suddenly Snape ducked out of the room into his adjoining chambers.

Hermione's wand was out in a second, _What the hell, I'm already in trouble, can't really hurt now I suppose.._and with a quick spell she managed to glue Malfoy's lips together. He began to struggle falling to the floor as his fingers wrenched at his lips, and in doing so gathered an audience which began to piss themselves laughing.

The whole class erupted into applause, and Snape ran back into the room demanding to know who had cast the spell.

The only person who spoke was Ron, "Yeah! Take that you slimy bastard!" He walked over to Malfoy and loomed over his prone form. This was the closest to courage you were ever going to get from Ron. "And for your information I don't live in a hovel. It's called a burrow!"

It was only Ron who looked proud after that exceedingly poor comeback. Especially since it was a good twenty minutes too late. But you had to give him kudos for trying. It was so sad that Harry came to his side to clap him over the shoulder, "Mate, you should have just left it to Hermione."

Snape clapped him over the other shoulder, "Mr. Weasley, I'd commit you to a detention, as your vehemence towards Mr Malfoy would suggest your motive for redesigning his face…" a scowl twisted his lips 'however, I don't believe you have the mental capacity nor the talent to have pulled off such an advanced spell…"

A look of realisation rapidly flooded his features, "In fact there are very few students who would be able to-"

Hermione was out the door before you could say 'lemon sherbet'.

--

Thanks for reading '_Redemption'_ please feel free to review my work, I seriously love to get your feedback. .

Oh, and the same goes for my previous work '_Pride and Pretence'_ a bit raw, but still close to my heart.

Yours with love, lozza


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